1. EUMETNET OPERA The European Weather Radar Network WMO TECO, Helsinki, 30 Aug -1 Sep Asko Huuskonen (FMI, KNMI), Programme Manager Laurent Delobbe (RMI), chair WG1 Bernard Urban (Météo France), chair WG2

2. EUMETNET (RA-VI)

3. OPERA’s Mission
Is to “harmonize and improve the operational exchange of weather radar information between National Meteorological Services”
“To support European applications of weather radar data through the establishment of a Data Hub function where harmonised products … are generated and managed.”
“To investigate and evaluate new radar technology and its relevance to operational requirements for present and future radar systems and bands.”
OPERA stands for Operational Programme on Exchange of weather RAdar information
Oriented towards operations
30 members, KNMI is the coordinating member

4. OPERA Network More than 190 radars
Mostly C-band ●, some S-band ● and X-band ●
About 160 Doppler radars
Some 30 polarimetric radars, all Doppler radars
Polarimetric radars are becoming operational standard

5. Organization OPERA group meets twice a year
Typically delegates from 20 countries
Plenary session and working groups
WG1 (Delobbe): Radar Technology and Algorithms
WG2 (Urban): Formats, Software, Data Hub

6. Projects of WG1 Working Group 1 is concerned with:
Weather Radars in Europe (Database on website)
Quality information for radars and radar data
Evaluation of new technologies (Polarimetric radars, X-band)
Site and frequency protection (Link with EUMETFREQ)
Harmonized production practices

7. Projects of WG2 Working Group 2 is concerned with:
ODIM (OPERA data information model)
Data exchange software development (BUFR and HDF5)
BUFR software and table maintenance (Software available on website)
Pilot Data Hub operations (Developed during OPERA-2)
OPERA Data Center: specification, development, and operation

8. OPERA and E-WINPROF Weather radar wind profiles
Increase of availability, ~100 sites
Harmonization of GTS headers, format, and content
Improvements on the quality

9. Frequency protection Close co-operation with EUMETFREQ RLAN issues
WLAN on air planes
Spurious transmission
etc

10. Pilot Data Hub

11. OPERA Data Center Under development, to start operation 2011
Collects single site 3D volume data
Produces 2D composites
Maximum reflectivity
Rainfall intensity and accumulation

12. OPERA and WMO OPERA and OPAG ET for Upper Air work both with
Radar database
Data formats
Harmonization
New technology
Wind turbines
RLAN issues
Quality information
Possibility for joint work and co-operation

13. OPERA Website: www.knmi.nl/opera